By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – After meeting with members from Fiji’s interim government yesterday, the Pacific Island Forum is now threatening to suspend Fiji from the group.

On Thursday, leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu met to discuss the political situation in Fiji. The Pacific Island Forum Ministers Contact Group expressed their dissatisfaction with Fiji’s efforts to uphold its promise to restore democracy.

At the meeting, Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, confirmed his plans to wait to hold elections until May 2009.

The meeting was called to discuss not only the date of the election, but also the possible outcomes and political consequences of a democratic election in Fiji.

Foreign Ministers from New Zealand and Australia, Murray McCully and Stephen Smith, say that the meeting was honest and constructive, but hope that the threat of suspension from the Pacific Forum will encourage Fiji to make good on its promises.

In 2006, Bainimarama led a military coup of Fiji’s Federal Government. Since that time, the ousted SDL Party has expressed growing concerns that the interim government will not make good on its promise to restore democracy. In October, a three judge court validated the 2006 coup, giving legitimacy to the interim government.

“The international community can’t and won’t sit idly by without seeing progress,” Smith said.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Fiji faces prospect of suspension from Pacific Island Forum – 11 December 2008

BBC News – Fiji urged to hold elections soon – 11 December 2008

ABC News – Fiji hurt by political turmoil: Smith – 11 December 2008